Dreams
by hannmacmill14
Summary: Set in Harry's fifth year. What if Snape found out about Harry's dreams before the attack on Arthur Weasley? Would he help Harry? Only one chapter but I might do more. I don't own any of these characters.


"Mr. Potter," said Professor Snape's silky voice.

"Huh", I looked up and groaned. _I fell asleep in Potions again!_ Averting my gaze away from Snape's annoyed glare I glanced around to see that everyone else had gone. Scattered remnants of rat tails and wormwoood leaves lay about the classroom.

"Finished admiring the view?" asked snape sarcastically? I looked back up into his black eyes and felt my heart sink. _Another detention. _He seemed to sense my despair and smirked. "Return here at seven this evening. And you'd better bring your dragon hide gloves because you'll be cleaning out the cauldrons from today's lesson. Not that you even took any notice." With that he whipped around in a whirl of black cloak and walked towards the door, gesturing for me to get out.

I hurried out and rushed up to the common room to find it crushed with people. I pushed my way to the little table in the corner where Ron and Hermione were sitting looking guilty.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" I hissed. "You just left me there alone to the mercy of Snape. He could have killed me in my sleep!"

Hermione gave an exasperated sigh. "Harry, Snape isn't evil, he's just a little harsh. And besides we wanted to stay. Really. But he ushed us out the door before we could do anything." Having defended herself properly she returned her attention to what appeared to be a long Charms essay. I gave up that case and turned my attention to Ron.

He looked flusterd, "Sorry mate. I was going to wake you up before but you didn't sleep last night so I decided to let you rest." He looked away. "I mean, he didn't punish you that bad did he?"

I don't know what was getting into me. I was making a big deal out of nothing. "No, I have to go back tonight. I'm going to go get some rest before I have to leave." I left them and trudged up to my room.

I flung myself down on my bed and thought about what was to come. Extra hours with Snape, I didn't know what to think. The only reason I fell asleep in Potions was because I haven't had a solid nights rest in days. And the reason I couldn't sleep was because I had the same recurring dream, running down that long corridor, stretching out my hand to clasp the handle of the black door that was only a few tantalizing inches from my fingertips. But that always ended up with me waking up drenched in sweat. And Snape. It almost seemed as if the mysterious old man could see right into my head. The way he looked at me so suspiciously. Or maybe I was just paranoid.

I glanced down at my watch and realized that it was time for detention. Sighing I got up and made my way slowly down to what was probably going to be a tortuous evening. I pushed open the door to the dungeon classroom and saw Snape sitting at his desk marking some poor victim's essay. I could see from all the pen marks that they were probably not going to be very close to passing.

He looked up and said smugly,"No gloves I see Potter."

I looked down at my empty hands. _Damn. _I'll have to pick the crusted remains of today's potion out of my fingernails after Snape's done with me.

Snape pointed to the cauldrons stacked along the side tables and said, "You can start with those."

I sat down and set to work. The leftover chemicals were not reacting well with my hands but Snape didn't appear to care. He just kept sneaking curious looks at me when I was most concentrated on my work. The longer it went on the more it annoyed me. Finally I snapped.

"Unless you're sitting there and painting a portrait of me I don't think you have to keep eyeing me every two minutes!" I expected an angry retort from him but when I looked he had just narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Potter," he said slowly. "I'm going to ignore that last outburst because I need to ask you a question, and you're going to answer it honestly because if I think you're lying I will add another two hours to your detention."

I stiffened in indignition. "That's not fair! You think everything I say is a lie. Even if you think I am telling the truth you'll just say I'm not so you can torture me longer."

Scowling he stood up and came to stand before me. " I don't enjoy the time I'm obligated to spend with you, Potter. Now just answer me this. What could make you so tired that you have the audacity to laze away in my class?" At every word he leaned closer to me so now we stood inches apart. His dark eyes were staring intently into mine and I almost involuntarily took a step back.

I swallowed. "I dunno, it's just dreams, I can't go to sleep after them. Why is it so imortant?" I looked up and saw a mocking smile slowly creep up on his face. My heart sank. _Why didn't I just lie? _

"Dreams?" he said slowly, as if imagining the ways he could use this information to torture me. "Poor little Potter is having bad dreams and now he gets sleep the day away while everyone else has to work." He scoffed and leaned away from me.

I felt that dark stir of anger rise up in me. I should keep quiet and let him accept this innocent explanation but I couldn't stand him thinking of me as a child. "They're not just any dreams," I said loudly, "they're different!"

His smugness grew. "Oh of course! Because anything from the great Harry Potter couldn't be normal," he hissed. His cockiness changed into a bitter smile, "You're just like your father. He was arrogant too but at least he didn't claim to have magic dreams." At this point there was almost no space left between us. I was close enough to see the arrogance etched across his face and almost see in his eyes the plans of further mocking. I was also close to slap him across the face.

My hand left a red imprint on his face. For a moment he looked stunned but thenhis eyes darkened with anger. With a movement as quick as a snake he had grabbed my arms and pushed me against the wall. He leaned his face close to mine and the rage on his face was so intense that I actually felt a sliver of fear.

"Don't. Ever. Do that. Again." he said in his deathly quiet voice. All the menace in the world was held in those five words and I felt myself shrink against the wall. After a long moment he let me go and I breathed a sigh of relief. But it wasn't over yet. He was still glaring at me and his mouth was a thin line. When he spoke I almost couldn't hear the words.

"Different how?" he asked.

I felt myself go blank and he must have seen it on my face because he scowled and spoke again but in a more condescending way.

"The dreams Potter. How are they different?"

I began, "They're always the same." He snorted and I said angrily, "Hey, I'm not done." He narrowed his gaze and silently urged me to go on. "It's always this black door. Always, I try to reach it but before I can I wake up. But when I wake up I feel so angry. An uncontrollabe anger. It keeps me from falling back asleep. And the anger stays with me all day. I just lose myself in it. That's why I, er, slapped you."

Throughout my explantion Snape's frown became more and more worried. He only registered my last comment with a look of contempt and hurried over to the door. He opened it and gestured for me to leave. I was stunned! I didn't finish my detention and slapped Snape in the face and I got to leave?

Seeing my stunned look he muttered, "I have something important I have to do and I can't do with you crowding around me. Leave and don't linger around here."

I was still confused. "Are you going to explain what's going on?"

"No," he said bluntly. When I turned to leave he called me back. He glared at me, "Don't think that you're out of trouble. Your detention will be rescheduled." He shut the door with a loud click.

I groaned, "What a git."


End file.
